According to FOX News the issues that the Supreme Court will tackle involve race, abortion, birth control and more. And this term for the Supreme Court will have a bit of a Texas flair.

The justices are returning to the bench on Monday for the start of their new term and their first public appearance together since a number of high-profile decisions in June that displayed passionate, sometimes barbed, disagreements and suggested some bruised feelings among the nine judges.

The three-month break probably is a good thing, Justice Samuel Alito noted in a speech at the University of Kentucky last month. By late June, "We tend to be kind of angry with each other," Alito said.

No single case before the justices in the new term holds the significance of the court's 5-4 decision in June that extended the right to marriage to gay and lesbian couples nationwide.

But the author of that opinion, Justice Anthony Kennedy, probably will play a similarly decisive role in the most important cases to be heard by the court. "On issue after issue, Kennedy provides the deciding vote," said conservative commentator Ed Whelan, no fan of Kennedy.

The court's lineup already includes, or likely will:

--Regulation of abortion clinics in Texas that could leave large parts of the second-most populous state without any abortion providers.

--Yet another battle over President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, involving the religious rights of faith-affiliated colleges, hospitals and charities and the provision of no-cost birth control to women covered by those groups' health plans.

--Another round from the University of Texas over the consideration of race, among many factors, in college admissions.

--A challenge over drawing electoral districts in Texas that could affect representation of immigrant-heavy urban areas.

--A fight to strip labor unions that represent government workers of their right to collect fees from non-union employees who benefit from the unions' work in collective bargaining.

Obama's actions on immigration and challenges to state restrictions on voting rights are two other major issues percolating through the lower courts that could reach the Supreme Court in time for resolution this term.

Commentators on the left and right say the lineup of cases suggests that conservatives will win more often than they will lose over the next few months, in contrast to the liberal side's success last term in gay marriage, health care and housing discrimination, among others.

It will be interesting to watch and see if the court moves back towards a conservative court or not. You will probably also see candidates for President weigh in on the issues and on how the court rules.

Chaffetz for Speaker?

According to FOX News, there is now a more conservative alternative to Rep. Kevin McCarthy for House Speaker.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, on Sunday officially announced his bid to become the next House speaker, challenging next-in-line Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and vowing to “bridge the divide” that has roiled the chamber’s GOP caucus.

Speculation on Capitol Hill that Chaffetz would make a challenge began Friday. It was the latest turn in the scramble for House GOP leadership positions since House Speaker John Boehner resigned Sept. 25, amid pressure from the caucus’ most conservative members.

McCarthy, a California Republican, appears to have enough support from House Republicans when they vote Thursday behind closed doors. However, it remains unclear whether he can get the 218 votes in a full House vote scheduled for later this month.

“You just don’t give a promotion,” Chaffetz, known for his hard-charging efforts as chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, said Sunday. “That doesn’t signal change.”

McCarthy does have the inside track for Speaker, but there should be an alternative. This now puts pressure on House members which could come back to haunt some of them.

These and many more topics coming up on today’s edition of The Chad Hasty Show. Tune in mornings 8:30-11am on News/Talk 790 KFYO, streaming online at kfyo.com, and now on your iPhone and Android device with the radioPup App. All guest interviews can be heard on our KFYO YouTube page after the show and online at kfyo.com.